Volvo Community Forum. The Forums of the Volvo Owners Club

Forum Rules Volvo Owners Club About VOC Volvo Gallery Links Volvo History Volvo Press
Go Back   Volvo Owners Club Forum > "Technical Topics" > S80 '06-'16 / V70 & XC70 '07-'16 General

Notices

S80 '06-'16 / V70 & XC70 '07-'16 General Forum for the P3-platform S80 and 70-series models

Information
  • VOC Members: There is no login facility using your VOC membership number or the details from page 3 of the club magazine. You need to register in the normal way
  • AOL Customers: Make sure you check the 'Remember me' check box otherwise the AOL system may log you out during the session. This is a known issue with AOL.
  • AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net users. Forum owners such as us are finding that AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net are blocking a lot of email generated from forums. This may mean your registration activation and other emails will not get to you, or they may appear in your spam mailbox

Thread Informations

Driving in mud!!

Views : 863

Replies : 11

Users Viewing This Thread :  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old Jul 29th, 2019, 19:54   #1
Sahodgson
Yoorkshireman
 
Sahodgson's Avatar
 

Last Online: Feb 9th, 2021 23:14
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Beverley
Smile Driving in mud!!

Have just been to Carfest North and had great fun getting out of car park, many cars stuck in mud after 3 days of rain... My V70 geartronic really impressed me, put in D and floored it, the traction control completely took over and kept us moving at a few mph, revs sat at 1500 most of time and on summer tyres, obvs an XC70 would have found it a breeze but for a heavy FWD car I was impressed... BMWs and Mercs were really struggling. Out of interest, what is the recommended driving technique in adverse conditions for FWD geartronics?

S
Sahodgson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jul 30th, 2019, 01:01   #2
mhon72
Master Member
 
mhon72's Avatar
 

Last Online: Feb 17th, 2024 13:34
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Clevedon
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sahodgson View Post
Have just been to Carfest North and had great fun getting out of car park, many cars stuck in mud after 3 days of rain... My V70 geartronic really impressed me, put in D and floored it, the traction control completely took over and kept us moving at a few mph, revs sat at 1500 most of time and on summer tyres, obvs an XC70 would have found it a breeze but for a heavy FWD car I was impressed... BMWs and Mercs were really struggling. Out of interest, what is the recommended driving technique in adverse conditions for FWD geartronics?

S
That's the benefit of FWD over RWD as you have the weight of the engine over the driving wheels.
Much like driving in snow you want to be in a higher gear so use the Geartronic to select 2nd gear rather than 1st to keep revs low.
__________________
2015 XC70 D4 AWD SE Lux
mhon72 is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to mhon72 For This Useful Post:
Old Jul 30th, 2019, 16:04   #3
seanc
Member
 

Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 12:25
Join Date: May 2011
Location: East Cambs.
Default

In snow I pull away in 3rd which I think is what the manual told me.
__________________
2017 V60 D4 Geartronic
seanc is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to seanc For This Useful Post:
Old Jul 30th, 2019, 22:50   #4
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

In thick mud and other viscous surfaces like snow and sand sometimes it's better to turn off DSTC and allow a bit of spin - this is the "spin control" only and disables the systems ability to reduce engine power. Other aspects of traction control still function.
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jul 30th, 2019, 22:50   #5
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 17:51
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
In snow I pull away in 3rd which I think is what the manual told me.
The "W" button on the old 5 speed auto's used to do that - select 3rd for setting off.
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Aug 9th, 2019, 10:36   #6
apersson850
Premier Member
 

Last Online: Today 14:59
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Traryd
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sahodgson View Post
Out of interest, what is the recommended driving technique in adverse conditions for FWD geartronics?
The opposite of what you did. As little throttle as you get away with.
Geartronic don't need any W button, as you simply select the gear you want manually in the normal way.

It's only when you are sinking in soft ground (gravel, snow) that it pays to turn off anti-spin. With it on, you'll not move. With it off, you'll either move or sink deeper. You never know which until afterwards.
When there's a thin layer of mud on reasonably firm surfaces, keep it on.
apersson850 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Aug 9th, 2019, 20:26   #7
green van man
Premier Member
 

Last Online: Feb 7th, 2024 11:00
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ffos y Ffin
Default

Tyres will have far more effect than gizmos.

A tyre full of mud has no grip, spinning the wheel may throw some of it out of the tread but if it's not self clearing it's not gripping.

Road tyres, All terrain tyres and Mud terrain tyres all have differing grip characteristics in mud and no matter what the tyre once the grip is gone you are not moving.
Things like traction control can help , but traction controll and blocked road tyres still mean you are stuck, and not all tyres are equal even of the same type.
I have found BF Goodrich ATs far better than Cooper ATs for grip in mud as they clear better.
Whatever tyres are fitted momentum plays a big part in how far you get.

Paul.
green van man is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to green van man For This Useful Post:
Old Aug 10th, 2019, 07:46   #8
Ant B
Junior Member
 

Last Online: Feb 28th, 2024 12:53
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Manchester
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tannaton View Post
In thick mud and other viscous surfaces like snow and sand sometimes it's better to turn off DSTC and allow a bit of spin - this is the "spin control" only and disables the systems ability to reduce engine power. Other aspects of traction control still function.
Can the DSTC be fully turned off? How is that done, is it in the menu on My Volvo? My own experience (2011 FWD V70) in snow a few years ago was terrible; I couldn’t disable the traction control, it kept cutting power when a little extra would have helped get me moving again. But generally, higher gear (2nd at least) and minimal revs.

Modern cars frustrate me at times like this, there are lots of systems and electronics that can’t be fully turned off, I never feel in full control...
__________________
MY12 V70 D5 R-Design (215ps)
Ant B is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Ant B For This Useful Post:
Old Aug 10th, 2019, 13:08   #9
apersson850
Premier Member
 

Last Online: Today 14:59
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Traryd
Default

No, DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) can't be fully turned off. But it still has two modes, on (which is default) and off.

DSTC consists of three components.
  • Traction Control (electronic limited slip differential)
  • Stability control (anti spin)
  • Dynamic stability (anti skid control)
When you set it to off, these things happen:
  • Traction Control: No difference. Still brakes the spinning wheel.
  • Stability control (anti spin): Disabled. The engine will not cut out when wheelspin is detected.
  • Dynamic stability: Reduced. You have to skid more for the system to engage the brakes to try to get the car straight again.
Setting the system to "off" is in some cars, like mine, announced by a yellow indicator with the text "DSTC SPORT".

There has never been any model where TRACS, STC or DSTC couldn't be turned more or less off. It's just a question about figuring out how. For the V70 2011 referred to above, it was done using the ring and button on the turn indicator stalk.
In later models via the menu system under MY CAR.
Earlier models had a button labeled TRACS, STC or DSTC, depending on model.

Last edited by apersson850; Aug 10th, 2019 at 13:21.
apersson850 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Aug 15th, 2019, 12:14   #10
Puffster
Member
 
Puffster's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 14:38
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Carmarthenshire
Default

As above, tyres make the biggest difference. My XC70 came with some (admittedly rather good/sticky) road tyres as it spent its life going up/down M11 for the police. However, last year's snow and despite AWD it could not even get up the slight incline away from my house. Switched them out for all-weather M&S and this year absolutely no problem in the snow, as much grip as needed and I was driving up much steeper hills without slipping.
__________________
Blue 2011 Volvo XC70 D5 AWD Police Spec - Current
Grey 2005 Volvo XC70 D5 AWD SE - Gone after 230,000 miles
Puffster is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Puffster For This Useful Post:
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 19:11.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.